Life Coaching: What it is and isn't
May 23, 2013Coaching is getting a bad reputation due to the many reality TV shows that feature screaming matches between those seeking help and the coaches that are supposed to be helping them. Coaching should not be about being molded into coach's image nor should it be a humiliating or demeaning experience. It should be about positive feedback and nurturing skills.
True coaching involves getting to know the person wanting coached. Taking the time to understand what they want the outcome to be. They might want new skills or be better able to communicate or better understand why they act how they do. The coach has the job of helping them achieve their goals. The coach does not have the job of making them feel unskilled or worthless.
A coach provides feedback: honest, open, timely, and geared to change. The coach cannot do this if they are not open to actively listening to their client. Coaching is not about “My way or the highway" like you see on TV. It is about "Is there a better way to accomplish your way." I believe that if I were the coach this would never have happened: Amy's Baking Company crashes and burns on Facebook after Kitchen Nightmares show. More caring listening and less berating just might have helped them achieve their dream but it woiuld not have acheived Chef Ramsey's dream of higher ratings.
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